Posted: February 24, 2005

Athletics: National titles, $50,000 in bonuses at stake at 2005 USA Indoor Championships

BOSTON – Olympians, national champions, Olympic and world championship medalists and promising up-and-comers highlight the fields for the 2005 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships, as USA Track & Field’s 2005 Indoor Visa Championship Series concludes this weekend at Boston’s Reggie Lewis Center.

Held February 25-27 on the campus of Roxbury Community College, the USA Indoor Championships will be broadcast from 3-5 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, February 27 on ESPN. In addition to competing for the title of USA national champion, athletes will vie to win a share of $50,000 in bonus pool monies as part of the Visa Championship.

All shot put, all the time

Field events figure prominently in the rundown of top men’s entries. Once again, the shot put is at the forefront, with two-time Olympic silver medalist Adam Nelson, three-time world champion John Godina, world indoor champion Christian Cantwell and world indoor silver medalist Reese Hoffa all entered in what will be a battle royal. Cantwell is the defending U.S. indoor champion, but Nelson leads the race for the Visa Championship, with $25,000 going to the top male competitor of the Visa Championship Series. Hoffa is hot on his heels, however, just two points behind Nelson in the Race for the Championship (1,118 points to Nelson’s 1,220), and Godina can never be counted out. Fans can count on these spotlight-stealers to put on their biggest show yet of the Visa Championship Series.

Jumping Around

The men’s triple jump also could see fireworks as two-time Olympian and 2003 world indoor silver medalist Walter Davis enters the fray on the strength of a huge personal best of 17.62/57-9.75 last Friday in Baton Rouge, La. In order to win the U.S. indoor title, Davis – who also is entered in the long jump – will have to defeat fellow 2004 Olympian Kenta Bell, one of the most consistent performers in the world last year.

The high jump could see some big marks as the #1-ranked American of the last two years, Jamie Nieto, defends his U.S. indoor crown. The 2004 Olympic fourth-place finisher and 2003 Pan Am Games silver medalist owns a personal best of 2.34 meters/7 feet, 8 inches from the Olympics. He’ll need that height as he competes against fellow Olympian Tora Harris, the 2002 NCAA indoor and outdoor champion and 2001 World University Games bronze medalist.

More where that came from

Other top entrants among the men include two-time defending champion Jonathon Riley of Brookline, Mass., in the 3,000 meters; 7-time defending champion Tim Seaman in the 5,000-meter race walk; defending champion Charlie Gruber and Olympic Trials third-place finisher Rob Myers in the 1,500; 2003 USA 400-meter hurdles champion and current Visa Championship third-place athlete Bershawn Jackson in the 400 meters; and 2004 Olympian and 2002 USA indoor champion Derrick Peterson in the 800 meters.

Women battle for Visa Championship

60-meter hurdler and 10-time NCAA All-American Danielle Carruthers leads the women’s Race for the Visa Championship, but defending champion weight thrower Erin Gilreath, who twice this season has broken her own world indoor best and is the American record holder outdoors in the hammer throw, is looking to steal the title in Boston. Dee Dee Trotter, the Olympic 4x400-meter relay gold medalist and Olympic finalist in the 400, could also sneak in for a shot at the $25,000 Visa Championship prize, competing in her specialty event.

Close competition in 60-meter dash

The women’s 60-meter dash could be among the closely contested events of the championships. 2004 Olympic 200-meter finalist and NCAA 60-meter champion Muna Lee is the fastest American so far in 2005 with her time of 7.17 seconds last weekend in Birmingham, England, but she faces a competitive field. Angela Daigle won the Millrose Games (7.21), and Olympic 200-meter silver medalist Allyson Felix also is in the field. 2004 Olympic Trials 100-meter champion LaTasha Colander may enter the fray as well.

Middle-distance delight

Boston fans of the distance events will have plenty to watch in the women’s competition. The 1,500 meters features a stacked field, including defending U.S. indoor 800 and 1,500-meter champion Jennifer Toomey of Salem, Mass.; 2-time U.S. indoor 3,000 champion, 2-time Olympian and Providence College graduate Amy Rudolph; three-time NCAA indoor champion Tiffany McWilliams; and 2002 USA indoor 800 and mile runner-up Mary Jayne Harrelson.

The 3,000 meters is equally stacked, with Rudolph facing off against defending champ and 2004 world indoor bronze medalist Shayne Culpepper and NCAA outdoor 5,000-meter record holder and three-time collegiate champion Lauren Fleshman.

Other top performers include outdoor American record holder, 2001 world indoor bronze medalist and 3-time USA indoor champ Tiombe Hurd in the triple jump; two-time Olympian Hazel Clark, who is undefeated in the 800 meters in the 2005 Visa Championship Series; 2001 world indoor silver medalist and two-time Olympian Kellie Suttle and 2002 USA indoor champion Mary Sauer in the pole vault; and four-time champion Joanne Dow in the 3,000-meter race walk.

For more information on the 2005 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships, including a full listing of entrants, visit http://www.usatf.org/events/2005/USAIndoorTFChampionships/ . For more information on the Visa Championship Series, visit www.usatf.org.

2005 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships Schedule of events

Subject to change

Source: Jill M. Geer,
USATF Director of Communications
USATF.org.